Advanced friction stir welding tools
A friction stir welding tool includes an integral shank-pin unit and a shoulder attached to the shank-pin unit.
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The present invention claims priority from the provisional patent application entitled “Advanced Friction Stir Welding Tools”, Application No. 60/605,960, filed on Aug. 30, 2004.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to friction stir welding and, more particularly, it relates to improved tools for friction stir welding.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe Friction Stir Welding (FSW) process is a solid-state based joining process, which makes it possible to weld a wide variety of materials (Aluminum, Copper, Stainless Steels, etc.) to themselves and to weld various combinations (e.g. aluminum alloys 6xxx/5xxx, 2xxx/7xxx, etc.) to each other. The process is based on “plunging” a rotating FSW tool into the joining area. The rotating friction stir welding tool heats the workpiece(s) by friction, so the material becomes plasticized and flows around the axis of the tool due to shear caused by the tool.
The setup includes a rotating chuck or collet 11 which grips shank 18 of tool 10. The setup also includes a moveable carriage (bed) 19 to which the workpiece(s) 111 is/are clamped. An anvil 115 underlies workpieces 111. The carriage 19 is translated relatively to the chuck or collet 11, so the pin 12 progresses along the joint 114 which is to be welded. Conversely, the relative motion of the FSW tool holding chuck or collet can also be achieved by keeping the carriage 19 and workpiece(s) 111 stationary and moving (or translating) the welding head relative to them.
The heat due to the friction causes plasticized material 112 of the workpiece(s) 111 to soften and flow around the axis of the pin 12. In
Once the pin 12 has been plunged into the workpiece(s) 111, the bed 19 is translated, so the pin 12 is moved relative to the workpiece(s) 111 along the joint to be welded. As the plasticized material cools behind the pin 12, it coalesces into sound metallurgical bonds.
One prior art solution to this problem is to make the pin out of a material (e.g. MP159) that is different from the material out of which the shoulder and shank are made (e.g. H13). The traditional way of designing such a composite FSW tool is to “consolidate” the tool's shoulder with the shank into one piece, and then insert the pin into it.
These eccentricities, which lead to more pronounced vibrations and cyclic loading of the pin 32 during welding, often shorten the life of the pin 32. This is typically manifested by breakage of pin 32 near its base, near the shoulder 34 of the tool 30. These eccentricities are caused by:
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- (a) The intentional clearance 33 designed between the pin 32 and the hole in the shoulder 34 to accept it (
FIG. 11 ). - (b) Uneven and unrepeatable tightening of the set-screws 39, which varies the clearance between the pin and the hole that accepts it in the shoulder.
- (c) Normal compounding of machining tolerances of the pin and shoulder/shank.
- (d) Variations in placement of the shank within the FSW machine's chuck or collet.
- (a) The intentional clearance 33 designed between the pin 32 and the hole in the shoulder 34 to accept it (
Accordingly, there is a need for FSW tools which reduce shank-pin misalignment and hence are more resistant to breakage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn one aspect, the present invention teaches an FSW tool wherein the pin and shank are integrally (monolithically) formed so as to be precisely concentric. A shoulder is attached to the shank-pin unit.
In another aspect, the present invention teaches an FSW tool having an axial tension member to reduce the damaging effects of cyclic bending moment loading on the pin as it is moved along a joint being welded. This type of loading gets compounded by simultaneously inducing bending-shear, bending-tensile and torsional-shear stresses at various portions of the pin.
In an additional aspect, the present invention teaches an FSW tool having cooling ducts for a coolant fluid to lower its temperature.
In the discussion which follows, directional terms such as “upper”, “lower”, “top”, “bottom”, etc. apply relative to welding setups oriented with the pin of the FSW tool at the bottom and the shank at the top. The terms “distal” and “proximal” are also used. Distal has the meaning of farthest from the shank of the FSW tool, proximal means nearer.
The present invention eliminates eccentricities between the pin and shank of an FSW tool which would otherwise cause the pin to vibrate and have a reduced life. The concept also reduces or eliminates eccentricities between the pins and shoulders of composite type FSW tools
In order to eliminate the eccentricities and their adverse effect on tool life during FS welding with traditional composite tools, this invention teaches the concept of making the pin and shank out of one monolithic piece. The shoulder is threaded onto the shank-pin unit 50.
An attachment feature connects the shoulder 44 to the shank-pin unit 50. Preferably, the attachment feature includes outside threads 51 on shank 48 and inside threads 52 on shoulder 44. Shoulder 44 is threaded onto the integrally formed shank-pin unit 50. The pitch of the threads 51 and 52 should be opposite to the threads on the working surface of the pin 42, so that friction between the workpiece(s) and the shoulder 44 tends to tighten shoulder 44 onto the integrally formed shank-pin unit 50 when FSW tool 40 is rotated in the direction which tends to move plasticized material from the proximal end of pin 42 toward the distal end of pin 42. Hence, the shoulder is self-locking onto the shank-pin unit. Preferably, shoulder 44 includes a spiral thread (or scroll) 17 which tends to cause plasticized material to move inwardly, toward the proximal end of pin 42 when FSW tool 40 is rotated in the direction which tends to move plasticized material from the proximal end of pin 42 toward the distal end of pin 42.
Preferably, there is a snug fit 49 between the OD of the shank 48 and the ID of the shoulder 44. There is also a snug fit 43 between the OD of the pin 42 and the ID of the shoulder 44, where it engages pin 42. Preferably, there is also a firm stop 45 on the shoulder 44, and a firm stop 47 on the shank-pin unit 50. The thread on the shank-pin and the threads 51 and 52 should be so configured that the shoulder can always be tightened until the firm stop 45 on the shoulder 44 engages the firm stop 47 on the shank-pin. It is also desirable to provide at least one flat 21 on shank 48 and at least one flat 41 on the shoulder 44, as sketched in
Preferably, the thermal expansion coefficient of the shoulder 44 should have a value close to that of the shank-pin unit. It may be slightly less than that of the shank-pin, so that heating of the tool during use increases the tightness of the snug fit 43 and the snug fit 49.
The arrangement shown in
Another aspect of the present invention, which is complimentary with the concept for the integral shank-pin described above, addresses the cyclic bending moments on the pin as it rotates and translates through the workpiece(s).
As friction stir welded parts become stronger, harder and/or thicker, the FSW tools are subjected to more intense forces in the Z, X and Y directions, where Fz is the vertical forging force, Fx is the force in the direction of welding and Fy is the force in the direction transverse to the direction of welding. As the Fz and Fx forces increase on the tools, the pins of the tools experience more pronounced cantilever type loading, which in combination with the tools' rotation lead to tension/compression cyclic loading on the pins. When these loading conditions exceed the fatigue/tensile-stress endurance limit of the pins, the pins break.
The conventional approaches for dealing with the problem of pin breakage are:
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- a) Design of pins with large diameters, which reduces the cantilever induced stresses.
- b) Use of stronger and tougher pin materials (e.g. MP159) that better withstand the rotary cyclic loading conditions.
- c) Use of FSW parameters that increase the welding heat input and make the plasticized material softer and less resistant to the movement of the pin. The main drawback of operating with these parameters (slower speed of travel and higher RPM) is the lowering in the mechanical properties of the weldments and their heat affected zones due to the increased heat input, and also the reduction in productivity.
Unless there is a major breakthrough in using any or a combination of these three approaches, at the present time none of them can overcome the barrier to friction stir welding of some strong/hard materials and/or thick sections, with acceptable FSW tool life. The present invention advances a concept that will help to substantially overcome this barrier.
The concept is based on the realization that in order to overcome the present barrier of welding some strong/hard materials and/or thick sections, it is essential to substantially reduce and, if at all possible, to eliminate the effects of the tension stresses induced in the pin during friction stir welding (
One embodiment of this concept is illustrated in
In this embodiment of the invention, engagement between pin 62 and tension member 66 is provided by internal threads 64 on pin 62, which engage external threads 63 on tension member 66. It is preferred that clearance 65 between tension member 66 and shank 68 be provided to facilitate assembly. It is also preferred that a close fit between tension member 66 and pin 62 be provided at location 61, which is at the proximal end of pin 62.
Another embodiment of this tension member concept is illustrated in
Another embodiment of this tension member concept is illustrated in
Attention is now directed to
Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
Attention is now directed to
Bobbin type tool 120 includes a shank-pin unit 121 including a distal portion 129 and a shank portion 128, both of which are integral with a pin portion 122. Shank portion 128 is for engagement with a chuck or collet of a friction stir welding machine. A proximal shoulder 124 is threaded onto the shank portion 128 at a proximal location as shown in
Bobbin type tool 120 is preferred over prior art bobbin type friction stir welding tools because compression of the pin 122 in tool 120 makes it possible to weld thicker workpieces than is possible with prior art bobbin type friction stir welding tools.
Bobbin type tool 120 is for pressing laterally against a pair of plates to be butt welded. In a typical application, pin 122 would traverse along the joint between the plates. Proximal shoulder 124 would typically engage the top surface of the plates to prevent upward escape of plasticized material and effect a smooth top surface on the resulting weldment. Likewise, distal shoulder 125 would, in that case, engage the bottom surface of the plates to prevent downward escape of plasticized material and effect a smooth bottom surface for the weldment. Proximal shoulder 124 has a working face 123 and distal shoulder 125 has a working face 127. Working face 123 and working face 127, preferably, have spiral threads such that rotation of FSW tool 120 in a predetermined direction tends to cause plasticized material adjacent working faces 123 and 127 to move inwardly, toward pin 122. The spiral threads on working faces 123 and 127 are similar to the spiral thread 17 illustrated in
Preferably, pin 122 has a proximal portion 131 having a thread 132, and a distal portion 133 having thread 134. Preferably, threads 132 and 134 have opposite pitch and are such that when FSW tool 120 is rotated in the predetermined direction cited above, threads 132 and 134 tend to cause plasticized material to move away from the corresponding shoulders 124 and 125, toward the midpoint 135 of pin 122.
Friction stir welding tools to which the present invention invention may be applied may be made of MP159, H13, Margin C-350, Tungsten, Ceramic, etc. The concepts of this invention can also be used with any type of shoulder design e.g. smooth, scrolls with concentric rings, or spiraled ridges, etc.
The invention provides the advantages of being able to weld stronger/harder materials, and/or thicker sections. With the present invention, FSW becomes more cost effective, attained by use of more durable FSW tools. Another benefit is the possibility of welding faster and hence more productively. Welding faster also reduces the heat input per unit length of weld and thus improves the metallurgical quality of the welds.
The presently preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention having been described herein, it is to be understood that the invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A friction stir welding tool comprising:
- an integral shank-pin unit having an axial bore therethrough, a pin portion for plunging into at least one workpiece to perform a friction stir welding operation on the at least one workpiece, a shank portion for engagement with a chuck or collet of a friction stir welding tool, wherein the pin portion includes a tip, a base, and a tension member engagement feature in proximity of the tip, wherein the base being juxtaposition the shank portion;
- a shoulder removably connected to the integral shank-pin unit for preventing plasticized material from flowing out of the workpiece(s); and
- a tension member having a distal end with an engagement feature complimentary to the tension member engagement feature of the pin portion and a proximal end with an engagement feature, wherein the proximal end extends out of the axial bore of the integral shank-pin unit when the tension member is disposed within the axial bore of the integral shank-pin unit and the distal end engagement feature of the tension member is engaged with the tension member engagement feature of the pin portion; and
- an adjustable tension member engagement device to adjustably engage the proximal end of the tension member to simultaneously impose a predetermined inward axial force upon the tension member engagement feature of the pin portion and the shank portion of the integral shank-pin unit, thereby placing the pin portion in substantial compression between the tip and the base,
- whereby cyclic tensile stresses during friction stir welding are reduced.
2. A friction stir welding tool, according to claim 1,
- wherein the shank portion includes an exterior threaded portion on an exterior surface thereof and the shoulder includes an interior threaded portion on an interior surface thereof,
- wherein the pin portion includes an exterior threaded portion for causing plasticized material to flow from a proximal end of the pin toward a distal end of the pin when the friction stir welding tool is rotated in a predetermined direction, and
- wherein the exterior threaded portion of the shank portion and the interior threaded portion of the shoulder have a pitch opposite to a pitch of an exterior threaded portion of the pin portion so that when the friction stir welding tool is rotated in the predetermined direction, friction between the shoulder and the workpiece(s) tends to tighten the shoulder more firmly onto the integral shank-pin unit.
3. A friction stir welding tool, according to claim 1, wherein the shank-pin unit has a first firm stop on an exterior surface thereof, the first firm stop for engaging a second firm stop on an interior surface of the shoulder whereby the friction stir welding tool may be firmly assembled.
4. A friction stir welding tool, according to claim 2, wherein a proximal end of the pin portion of the shank-pin unit has a snug fit with a distal end of the shoulder whereby the shank-pin unit may be precisely centered in the shoulder, and the shank portion of the shank-pin unit has a snug fit with a proximal end of the shoulder whereby the shoulder and the shank-pin unit may be precisely aligned.
5. A friction stir welding tool, according to claim 2, wherein a working face of the shoulder includes a spiral thread whereby rotation of the tool in the predetermined direction tends to cause plasticized material to flow inwardly, toward the proximal end of the pin.
6. A friction stir welding tool, according to claim 2, wherein the shoulder of the tool includes at least one flat, the at least one fiat being for facilitating assembly of the shoulder to the shank-pin assembly.
7. A friction stir welding tool, according to claim 2, wherein the shank of the shank-pin unit includes at least one flat, the at least one fiat being for facilitating assembly of the shoulder to the shank-pin assembly, and/or for mounting in a chuck or collet of a friction stir welding tool.
8. A friction stir welding tool, according to claim 1, wherein the distal end engagement feature of the tension member are external threads and tension member engagement feature of the integral shank-pin are internal threads.
9. A friction stir welding tool, according to claim 1, wherein the tension member proximal end includes exterior threads thereon, the exterior threads are capable of engagement with the adjustable tension member engagement device, wherein the adjustable tension member engagement device is a nut for placing the tension member in tension.
10. A friction stir welding tool, according to claim 9, further including at least one spring washer under the nut, the at least one spring washer being for accommodating thermal expansion and/or creep in said tension member.
11. A friction stir welding tool, according to claim 1, further includes a clearance between the tension member and the shank portion of the friction stir welding tool to facilitate assembly.
12. A friction stir welding tool, according to claim 8, wherein the external threads on the distal end of the tension member and the internal threads on the distal end of the pin are tapered.
13. A friction stir welding tool, according to claim 1, wherein the tension member further includes a distal end pin extension capable of plasticizing material.
14. A friction stir welding tool, according to claim 13, wherein the distal end pin extension of said tension member has exterior threads for friction stir welding.
15. A friction stir welding tool, according to claim 13, wherein the distal end engagement feature of the tension member is a shoulder thereon and the tension member engagement feature of the pin is a shoulder having a geometry complimentary to that of the shoulder of the tension member, whereby the engagement of the shoulders is capable of placing the pin portion in substantial compression between the tip and the base.
16. A friction stir welding tool, according to claim 1, wherein the distal end engagement feature of the tension member is a shoulder thereon and the tension member engagement feature of the pin is a recess having a geometry complimentary to that of the shoulder of the tension member, whereby the engagement of the shoulders is capable of receiving the shoulder of the tension member to define a contact interface for placing the pin portion in substantial compression between the tip and the base.
17. A friction stir welding tool, according to claim 1, wherein the tension member defines at least one cooling duct for cooling said pin.
18. A bobbin type friction stir welding tool comprising:
- an integral shank-pin unit having a proximal end, a distal end and a axial bore therethrough, said integral shank-pin unit comprising: a proximal shank portion; a distal shank portion; a pin portion disposed between the proximal shank portion and the distal shank portion;
- a proximal shoulder attached to said proximal shank portion, said proximal shoulder having a working face adjacent said pin portion;
- a distal shoulder attached to said distal shank portion, said distal shoulder having a working face adjacent said pin portion;
- a tension member having two ends, wherein the two ends extend beyond the proximal end and the distal end of the integral shank-pin unit when the tension member is disposed within the axial bore of the integral shank-pin unit; and
- a pair of tension member end attachment devices, wherein at least one of the pair of tension member end attachment devices is adjustably engageble to the distal end or the proximal end of the tension member to impose an inward axial force upon the distal end and the proximal end of the integral shank-pin unit, thereby placing the pin portion in compression,
- whereby the bobbin type friction stir welding tool is capable of welding workpiece(s) having top surface(s) and bottom surface(s), the pin portion for moving along a joint to be friction stir welded, the proximal shoulder for preventing plasticized material from escaping upwardly, and the distal shoulder for preventing the plasticized material from escaping downwardly; and the tension member reducing cyclic tension stresses in the pin portion.
19. A bobbin type friction stir welding tool, according to claim 18, wherein the pin portion comprises a proximal pin portion and a distal pin portion, the proximal pin portion includes threads being opposite to threads on the distal pin portion, whereby rotation of the bobbin type friction stir welding tool tends to cause plasticized material adjacent the pin portion to move toward a midpoint of the pin portion when the bobbin type friction stir welding tool is rotated in a predetermined direction.
20. A bobbin type friction stir welding tool, according to claim 19, wherein the working face of the proximal shoulder has a spiral thread tending to move plasticized material toward the proximal pin portion, and wherein the working face of the distal shoulder has a spiral thread tending to move plasticized material toward the distal pin portion when the bobbin type friction stir welding tool is rotated in the predetermined direction.
21. A bobbin type friction stir welding tool, according to claim 18, wherein the adjustably engageble tension member attachment device is a nut.
22. A bobbin type friction stir welding tool, according to claim 21, further comprising a spring washer compressed by the nut, wherein the spring washer is capable of compensating for creep and/or thermal expansion of the tension member.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Apr 7, 2005
Date of Patent: Jul 22, 2008
Patent Publication Number: 20060043151
Assignee: Alcoa Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA)
Inventors: Israel Stol (Pittsburgh, PA), John W. Cobes (Lower Burrell, PA)
Primary Examiner: Jerry A. Lorengo
Assistant Examiner: Megha Mehta
Attorney: Greenberg Traurig LLP
Application Number: 11/100,878
International Classification: B23K 20/12 (20060101); B23K 37/00 (20060101); B23K 31/02 (20060101);